Lou Gramm Says He Just Played His Last Solo Show

Ex-Foreigner frontman Lou Gramm surprised a crowd in upstate New York last night (Dec. 29) when he announced it was his final solo performance.

He originally left Foreigner to concentrate on his solo career in 1990 after several years of disagreement with bandleader Mick Jones. By that time, Gramm had already released two successful albums in his own right, 1987’s Ready or Not and 1989’s Long Hard Look.

He went on to launch Lou Gramm Band in 2009 then My Baby in 2015. Two years earlier, relations with Jones began to thaw: The pair appeared together at the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and Gramm has since taken part in a number of reunion shows with Foreigner.

Speaking to his audience at Proctor’s in Schenectady, N.Y., Gramm, 68, said he’d enjoyed “quite a few years of a lot of fun” but that he’d been “talking a little bit with my wife and some people in the business.” He added, “You get real excited when you start out in this business, but you’ve got to be smart enough to know when to walk away from it too. I just feel it’s that time for me.”

You can watch his announcement below:

His 14-track performance consisted mainly of Foreigner tracks including “Feels Like the First Time,” “Cold as Ice,” “I Want To Know What Love Is,” “Juke Box Hero” and “Hot Blooded.” It also included the solo Top 10 hit "Midnight Blue," which appeared on Ready or Not.

The tour dates page on Gramm’s website was empty at time of writing. He previously announced plans for a series of "rock pack" shows with Asia ex John Payne, performing songs by their respective former bands. Tickets for shows on Jan. 26 in Collingswood, N.J., and on April 5 in St. Charles, Ill., appeared to remain on sale on some websites.

Earlier in 2018, Gramm said he hoped to work with Jones again and complete some “rough ideas” they left unfinished toward the end of their time in Foreigner together.